Cruel Summer
by Moon's Tear
Summary: On a trip planetside to Kaylee's home world of Harvest, she shows Simon that there's more to life outside Serenity's walls than he ever could have thought. SimonKaylee.
1. Harvest Moon

_Disclaimer: Firefly and all related media belong to Joss Whedon._

_On a trip planetside on Kaylee's home world of Harvest, she shows Simon that there's more to life outside Serenity's walls than he ever could have thought. Simon/Kaylee established relationship fluff set post BDM. Expected as being 13 chapters long. Translations at the bottom of the page!_

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Chapter 1: Harvest Moon**

It had been a long few weeks since Miranda, since the happenings that followed and since saying goodbye to three beloved men, but the crew was slowly moving on. They were flying again, this time without fear of reprisal for carrying two wanted citizens. After the whole incident they'd escaped from, the Alliance's interest in Simon and River tapered off completely. Law force flags and bulletins disappeared off the cortex; the siblings could walk down the streets of a busy Allied world, right under the noses of the feds, and not be bothered. Things were finally gaining a semblance of normality.

Serenity's crew members were healing slowly. Simon was recovering from the shot to the stomach he'd taken, the captain's many wounds were healing with each passing day and the rest of the crew were moving on with few ill effects. They were traveling light, River at the helm, taking Wash's place on the crew but nowhere near taking his place in everyone's hearts. Yes, things were regaining their usual momentum.

Mal had been doing a lot of thinking since Miranda. He'd thought about Simon, almost losing his life while trying to help his crew. He'd thought about River, her bravery and unwavering loyalty, thought about how wrong he'd been to ever doubt her. He'd thought about Kaylee, who'd taken up arms to join the fight for their lives and for what was right. Mal had considered Inara, and she still confounded him after all his consideration, but he was beginning to admit that he didn't mind it so much. He'd thought about Zoe, about how much stronger she was than he'd ever really given her credit for, especially since Wash. Mal had thought about Jayne, about his being… well, Jayne. Then he'd thought about those they'd lost. He remembered Wash, his talent, his spirit. He remembered the Shepherd, with his wisdom and his secrets, and he'd remembered Mr. Universe with his love bot. It was a lot to comprehend, to take in, but Mal was slowly adjusting.

All of his thinking had led Mal to the conclusion that he'd put his crew through too much for their years in the past. He'd brought so many things down on them, despite trying to protect them, that he owed it to them to give them some time to rest and recover. When he'd announced his decision to the crew, he'd been overwhelmed with suggestions for where to take shore leave. He'd listened to them all and had spent a few sleepless nights settling on one idea, but he finally chose Kaylee's suggestion of heading to her home planet of Harvest. The Fryes were very hospitable people and of everyone on the ship, he believed that Kaylee could have most used her family after all they'd been through. She needed to feel safe and comfortable after being thrown into a world so unlike what she was used to with the Miranda shenanigans.

That was how they had come to be where they were at that moment, sitting in the shade of the family's back porch, sipping on homemade lemonade. Kaylee looked more pleased than Mal had seen her since he'd caught her in the middle of attempting to sex up the doc in the engine room, which he'd put a stop to and which he preferred not to think about, and everyone else seemed more relaxed than he could ever have pictured them. Their features, the lines of their faces seemed softer, like years had been sloughed off. It was when he noticed those things that Mal was reassured he'd done the right thing by giving the crew a couple of weeks of shore leave.

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Kaylee still couldn't believe that the captain had agreed to bring them all to Harvest. She'd hugged him so tightly when he'd told them the news that he'd almost collapsed. Now she was sitting on her old swing, the one her pa had built for her hanging from the biggest, sturdiest branch of the old oak tree behind the barn, smiling more brightly than she thought she ever could have. Behind her was Simon, giving her a gentle push just slightly higher each time she swung back toward him. 

Their relationship had grown and flourished since Miranda. Kaylee had been more than glad that she'd waited for him when he finally came to her, ready to take the next step. They'd shared several amazing, intense nights and mornings after, and Kaylee hoped that they would share many more. Things were finally beginning to look up after the grim ending to the Miranda escapades and for that Kaylee was glad.

She giggled softly as Simon pushed her on the swing, turning her head to look at him over her shoulder. Her hair tickled her neck as the breeze rushed back and forth past her, making goose bumps rise on her skin. Of course part of that could have been attributed to Simon's gentle touches as he pushed her as well. Everything was just so perfect, just like Kaylee had always wanted it to be. She was at home, surrounded by love and familiarity, and she'd finally found a place in the arms of the one man she'd ever truly fallen for.

As she swung forward, Kaylee put out her feet to stop herself. She smoothed down the front of her dress a little and stood up from the swing slowly. Simon watched her curiously, stepping forward as she turned to face him and stepped around the swing, removing the seat from the expanse between them. He reached out, setting his hands on her hips, closing the distance to where she stood. He leaned in and nuzzled her gently, inhaling her scent. When he held her in his arms, Simon was always left to wonder why he had waited so long to give himself the chance to be with her. He'd had perfection all along, he'd just refused to see it, and now he wasn't sure he could ever go without it again.

They had decided to take it slowly. Back during the attack, Simon had told Kaylee he'd truly regretted never being with her, never taking the time to explore a relationship with her, to explore i her /i , to bring her to her fall. Now that it was all over, however, they had all the time in the world, and though they'd explored each other plenty in the past weeks, they'd come to realize that a relationship, if it was going to last, wasn't something to be rushed. They wanted to take it slowly, to discover each new facet of their relationship in a timely fashion and not rush into a lusty union again. The twelve days they were spending on Harvest with Kaylee's family were going to be all about getting to know one another, to truly know each other, and about a slow build up. After that, they both knew their union would be that much more incredible, not only physically, but emotionally as well. Simon already had an idea as to what kind of a i real /i first time he wanted, and he would make sure it was exactly what Kaylee wanted, too. At the end of their shore leave, he would give her a sexing that she would never forget.

Simon's arms wrapped around Kaylee and he pulled her closer, holding her to him, leaning in to kiss her softly, just a momentary brush of his lips against hers. He pulled back just enough to look at her, smiling softly. She was so beautiful in the setting sun. They'd only been on Harvest since that morning, but already she'd taken on a darker hue. Her skin had a healthy, sun-kissed glow that he had never before seen on her. Living out in the black didn't exactly permit sun tanning. Now that they were planetside, however, Kaylee seemed to take to the sun like a bird took to the air, and it showed on her face, her arms, on every exposed bit of skin.

"You are so incredibly beautiful," Simon whispered softly.

Kaylee blushed a faint pink, giggling softly and leaning in to rest her forehead against Simon's chest.

"You're not so bad yourself," she replied.

She loved being in Simon's arms. She still found it hard to believe that she and Simon had found themselves, found each other because of what had happened with the Miranda affair. It was just hard to believe that it had taken them so long. It had been worth it, though. All those long days, even longer nights had been worth waiting through, because now that they had each other, they'd have a much longer time to celebrate their relationship than they'd had in a lack thereof.

Simon gently rubbed Kaylee's back as he held her close. He realized that he'd needed the nearness all along, that by depriving himself of it, he'd only made everything worse. He'd deprived Kaylee of it for so long, too, he'd driven her away. He just thanked Buddha that she'd waited for him. He could never express to her how grateful he was for that.

Kaylee pulled away and stepped back, reaching out to take one of Simon's hands in hers. She tugged on it and smiled brightly, urging him to follow her as she headed off toward the barn. He followed her wordlessly, although curious as to where she was leading him. He didn't have much of a clue about barns, about what they contained or why they were heading right for one, but he trusted her. Kaylee just giggled as she led on, looking around the familiar fields, her eyes mapping the skies overhead as the sun slowly dipped behind the horizon.

Kaylee tugged Simon along, slipping into the barn with him through the crack in the big barn doors. She looked around inside, trying to make things out in the dimness. She groped blindly for the light switch on the wall and finally found it, flicking it on and watching the floodlight at the far end of the barn turn on, illuminating most of the dark space. She looked around, smiling at the sight of her daddy's old tractor parked in its usual place at the back of the barn, at the saddles and other riding equipment hung up on the walls. She breathed deeply, smelling the musty scent of dried hay in the loft above them.

The loft was precisely why Kaylee had brought Simon to the barn. When she was younger she always used to watch the sunset from the barn, the loft had a perfect view of the West horizon. She'd always climb up there and step out the large window cut into the wall so she could sit on the overhang out front of the barn and watch the last rays of light disappear behind the landscape. Her momma didn't like that very much, she recalled. The older woman was always saying that one day she'd slip and fall. Kaylee grinned because she'd come close, but she'd always managed to save her hide. Now that Simon was with her, she knew he wouldn't let her fall either. There was just something about proving her mother wrong that gave her a sort of childish sense of satisfaction.

Tugging on Simon's hand, Kaylee pulled him further along with her, heading for the old, rickety looking ladder at the side of the barn that led up to the hay loft above. As they neared it, Simon eyed it with uncertainty, offering a little bit of resistance to Kaylee's insistent leading. She somehow managed to make it to the ladder with him anyway, and Simon stared up at it before looking down at her.

"Where are we going?" Simon asked unsurely.

"We're goin' up top o' the overhang to watch the sunset, silly!" Kaylee replied. "We gotta climb up into the loft."

Simon eyed the ladder.

"Are you sure it's safe?" He queried.

"My brothers were up here just the other day," Kaylee replied. "And they're all as big as Jayne. We'll be fine. Come on!"

Kaylee smiled brightly and let go of Simon's hand, stepping up to the ladder. Wrapping her hands around the rungs she slowly began to climb up. She scaled the ladder with practiced ease while Simon watched anxiously from below, ready to attempt to catch her if she fell. He breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the top and pulled herself up onto the loft. She was gone from sight for only a second before appearing back in his line of vision, hanging over the edge of the loft and waving down to him.

"Come on Simon! You don't wanna miss the sunset!" She called brightly.

Holding his breath, Simon stepped up to the ladder. He pulled on the rung a little, feeling it give a bit and wondered whether he was ready to die so soon. Steeling himself he shut his eyes and stepped up onto the ladder, climbing it slowly, one rung at a time. He heard creaking as he made his way and it did nothing to soothe his nerves. Before long, though, he heard a soft giggle and felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder. Opening his eyes slowly, Simon realized he'd reached the top. Trying his damnedest not to look down, he quickly pulled himself up over the edge and moved further back onto the loft. He looked at Kaylee, taking deep, calming breaths as his heart slowed from its racing pace.

Kaylee laughed as Simon put space between himself and the edge of the loft. She wasn't about to scare him by telling him getting down was a lot harder than getting up. She pulled herself up to her knees and crawled over to Simon, falling onto her side into a pile of hay. She reached out to him, gently resting her hand on his chest, pulling herself closer to his side and cuddling into him.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" She giggled. "At least you made it!"

She could feel his heart racing beneath her palm and she pulled herself up to kiss him gently. Simon relaxed at the first hint of Kaylee's lips against hers. He fell back from where he'd been propped up on his elbows and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he kissed back with a bit more fervor. The lovers both grew breathless quickly and pulled apart, still staying close as they caught their breath.

"I had to come all this way for a kiss?" Simon asked with a wry smile.

"What, it wasn't worth it!" Kaylee exclaimed with a mock-hurt expression.

"Of course it was,_ baobei_," Simon whispered, brushing another brief, gentle kiss over her lips. "I would go to the ends of the galaxy for you, for your kisses."

Kaylee smiled softly and leaned closer, nuzzling into Simon's neck, feeling completely content in his arms. She wished she could stay there all night, but she didn't want to miss the sunset. She stayed cuddled up to him a moment longer, feeling his hand to come and gently tangle in her hair, his fingers brushing through it, before pulling back to look down at him.

"Come on doc, we don't wanna miss it," she said softly.

She slowly sat up and shook some hay out of her hair, smiling as she stood. She picked bits and pieces of the hay off of her dress as she waited for Simon to stand. He did so quickly and wrapped an arm around her waist, still trying not to glance back at the ledge of the loft. Looking around, Simon spotted the window, looking out at the long strip of sunlight that filtered in through the open shutters. He walked toward it with Kaylee and glanced outside.

The overhang stood straight out over the door of the barn and was quite wide. It looked safe enough; sturdier than the ladder, anyway. Simon glanced over at Kaylee as she moved closer to the window and carefully stepped over the ledge of it, standing on the opposite side of the wall on the overhang. Steeling himself again he followed, his free hand gripping the ledge the whole time. Looking over at Kaylee, Simon decided it would be best to sit and watch the sunset.

That thought in mind, Simon let go of Kaylee's hand and settled himself against the barn wall, his legs out in front of him, parted slightly for her to sit between. He looked up at her, gesturing her down to sit with him, and watched as she complied. She gladly settled herself in the V-shape that Simon's legs made and leaned comfortably back against him as his arms found their way around her. His hands rested gently at her stomach, rubbing softly through the fabric of her dress.

Kaylee was perfectly content in Simon's arms. She sighed happily and rested her head back against his shoulder. The sun was nearing the horizon and would be setting any minute. Kaylee loved watching it, it felt so familiar. The fact that she was watching it with Simon made it all that much more special and amazing. She was completely content in his arms as his hands gently began rubbing over her sides, teasing at her ribcage softly and making her feel utterly relaxed.

Simon rested his chin gently on Kaylee's shoulder as his hands sought out her sensitive spots. He knew just how she loved being touched, caressed. He loved the feeling of the warmth radiating from her body into his as she sat comfortably nestled between his legs. It felt so natural, so right. Turning his head slightly, Simon pressed his lips to Kaylee's neck, feeling her warmth seep into his lips.

Kaylee shivered lightly, smiling softly as Simon kissed her. She realized, being in his arms like she was, having fallen victim to his gentleness, his kind-hearted romantic ways, that she didn't need the sex which she'd been so intent on having with him. They'd almost been together once in the engine room, but since then Simon's sense of nobility had kept them from trying again. She still wanted to be with him in that way, give that part of herself to him, but at the same time she wanted to hold out until the time was perfect. She wanted it to be everything it could be.

Looking out at the horizon, the lovers watched the sun slowly dip behind the horizon. Kaylee was perfectly comfortable in Simon's arms, and he couldn't have been happier. Keeping one hand wrapped around her, resting flat on her belly, Simon's other hand slipped down to her thigh, stroking the skin beneath the thin, silky fabric gently. His fingertips traced random patterns over her flesh as the sunset flickered in her eyes. The ministration was making her shiver, making her feel hot and bothered and it made her giggle slightly. She wanted to take Simon then and there but decided against it, holding out for a more opportune, more perfect time.

Kaylee rested her head back against Simon's shoulder, her eyes downcast so that she could see the sunset from under her downy eyelashes. The sun was over halfway behind the horizon already and the soft light combined with the cool evening air around them was relaxing Kaylee, making her pleasantly sleepy. She yawned lightly, settling herself even more comfortably against the warm plane of Simon's body. Looking down, the young doctor noticed Kaylee's eyes flutter closed a little and smiled, nudging her playfully.

"Keep your eyes open,_ xin gan_," he said softly. "I don't think I can carry you down from here if you fall asleep."

"I ain't sleepin' Simon, just restin' my eyes," Kaylee breathed.

Rolling his eyes lightly, Simon turned his gaze back to the sunset. In a matter of moments the sun would disappear completely, pitching them into darkness punctuated only by the shimmering stars and the full moon in the sky above. His breath was warm against Kaylee's neck as she relaxed, her eyes opening again to watch the sunset. Everything felt like it was in perfect harmony at long last, the ideal ending to a long year of nothing but trials and tribulations.

The lovers sat in unbroken silence for the several long minutes that constituted dusk and preceded the sunset. The air seemed to cool suddenly and Simon's embrace on Kaylee tightened a little, putting more of their bodies in contact, enjoying the shared warmth. They watched intently, both marveling at the beauty of the setting sun, of the sky's many colors. It was like something out of a painting.

Simon was in awe at the sight before him. He'd only ever seen such beautiful sunsets in textbooks and photographs. He'd never had the good fortune to witness one in person. Not until then, anyway. What he was glad of more than anything was being able to share the moment with Kaylee. It brought a closure to the traumatic events of the past few months and opened a door to a new life, setting the stage for the days that were to follow.

Kaylee realized, as she watched the last rays of sunlight disappear beyond the horizon, that she'd missed her home something fierce. She'd missed the overhang, watching the sunsets, breathing the fresh air. Now she was lucky enough to be home again and better still, with the man she loved more than anything. It was like a fairytale, the ones her momma used to tell her all about when she was just a little girl; only to her, Simon was better than some knight in shining armor.

The night fell thick and hazy around them, the starts beginning to twinkle in the darkness one by one. In the distance, crickets were chirping and both Simon and Kaylee realized they'd nearly forgotten what nights were like planet side in the months they'd spent on the ship. They stilled together for a long while, simply looking out and seeing nothing but calm.

Simon was the first to move. His hands gently slipped up Kaylee's arms, feeling the goose bumps that had risen there. He rubbed her skin slowly, warming her up.

"We should head inside," he suggested softly.

As hesitant as Kaylee was, as much as she wanted to stay outside all night and watch the shooting stars in the sky, she agreed with a nod of her head. She didn't want to leave the warmth and comfort of Simon's embrace, but she figured it was for the best. Moving slowly she slipped from the valley between his legs and stood, holding onto the window frame for support while she straightened out her dress a little.

He stood slowly as Kaylee did, making sure not to put her off-balance. At a height like the one they sat at, falling to the hard dirt below would be dangerous, to say the least. He glanced over at Kaylee once he was standing, one hand gripping the window pane beside hers, the other one held out to her to help her over the ledge back inside to the loft.

Together they climbed quickly back into the barn and made it to the edge where the ladder to the ground was. Kaylee smiled at Simon and scaled quickly down it, looking up at him from the barn floor. She giggled at the utterly terrified expression on his face as he saw just how far from the ground he really was. He sat back and shut his eyes, waiting for the dizziness to pass.

_Just don't look down_, he thought.

Taking a deep breath, Simon turned and clung to the ladder, beginning his descent. Getting down was a lot harder than getting up, he quickly discovered. By the time he'd made it about half way down he wished he hadn't climbed up to the loft in the first place.

Opening his eyes, Simon glanced down, thinking he was close to the ground. The ten or so feet below him that still remained quickly changed his mind about just how close he was. Feeling faint, Simon felt his palms sweating. He took a shaky breath as he stepped down another rung. Letting go of the ladder with one hand to reach for the next run was a bad idea. With that motion, Simon slipped and overbalanced, falling back toward the wooden paneled floor of the barn.

"Simon!" Kaylee shrieked as she rushed forward.

A sickening crack was heard as Simon fell onto his back, hitting the ground hard. Only a second passed before he groaned softly and swallowed thickly. Before he could even figure out what was going on, Kaylee was at his side looking absolutely terrified. He opened his eyes slowly and met her worried gaze. He laughed softly, almost inaudibly and reached up to brush his hand over her cheek.

"Are you okay?" Kaylee asked frantically.

"I'm fine," Simon croaked. "I think."

"Oh, honey, maybe I should go get someone," Kaylee said worriedly.

"No, I'll be alright, just let me catch my breath," Simon argued.

He had the feeling he would hurt the following day, if the way his lungs burned from being winded was any indication, but at least he was alive and conscious. He breathed deeply, feeling his ribs give a bit of a protest from the jarring they'd endured. He lay there, watching Kaylee, his heart breaking at the fear in her eyes. He didn't want her to worry and so after a few minutes had passed he sat up slowly, bracing himself on his elbows, then his hands. He felt somewhat dizzy, but otherwise intact.

As soon as Simon tried to sit up, Kaylee wrapped an arm around his back and supported him. She still worried, but trusted that he could be objective in assessing his own injuries. She pulled him tighter against her body, taking some of the strain of sitting up off of him. She watched him as he took a few steadying breaths and tried to get his bearings.

Simon wasn't too impressed with himself. His dignity was bruised, his backside was bruised even more so, but at least he'd gotten down. Still, he wished he hadn't worried Kaylee so much. Brushing himself off gingerly as he rested some of his weight against her he decided that he was going to have to somehow make up for scaring her like he had.

After giving himself a moment to rest, Simon shifted and slowly began to stand. Kaylee was right at his side, supporting him. He wavered for a moment before regaining his strength and pulled away from her. His hands came to rest on her shoulders gently and he smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry _baobei_, I didn't mean to scare you like that," Simon said quietly. "I'm fine now, don't worry."

"Well ya ain't weak," Kaylee said wryly. "But that don't mean I won't still worry 'bout you."

Simon gently brushed a stray strand of hair back from her face before pulling her closer. He shifted so he was standing with his chest to her back, cradling her in his embrace. Kissing the top of her head, his one hand was wrapped around her waist, pressing her back against him, while his other hand rested lightly just below her left breast. He could feel her heart beat beneath his palm, the racing rhythm making him want to soothe Kaylee even more, to relax and calm her.

"_Wan xi_ , Kaylee," Simon cooed. "_Shen hu xi_. Come on; let's head back to the house."

Doing as she was told, Kaylee took a deep breath and managed to shake some of the worry. She slowly shifted around in Simon's arms and pulled away, reaching out to take one of his hands as it broke contact with her body. She gave his hand a delicate squeeze and tugged on his arm lightly, ushering him along with her toward the house.

Following Kaylee, Simon looked down at the grass. Each blade glowed with its own halo cast by the moonlight above them. He smiled lightly and stepped closer to Kaylee, letting go of her hand and instead wrapping his arm around her waist so he could pull her up against his side. She squealed at the suddenness of it all and giggled as her own arm found its way around his waist.

Simon admittedly ached a little when Kaylee hooked herself onto him and he groaned a bit. The sound made Kaylee's gaze flicker over to him and a worried frown appear on her lips.

"You sure you're alright honey?" She asked.

"No matter how many times I say I'm fine, you're not going to believe me, are you?" Simon said wryly. "At least not until I heal."

"Not a chance," Kaylee replied with a giggle.

The young doctor smiled and shook his head, stepping up the steps to the front porch. Kaylee led him inside and he exchanged pleasantries with her family as they passed the other people in the hall on the way to the room set aside for them. They reached it quickly and closed the door behind them. Once there, Kaylee extricated herself from beside Simon and gestured him toward the bed.

"You should sit down and let me take care of ya," Kaylee insisted.

Raising his eyebrow for a moment, Simon observed Kaylee. Her innocent eyes quickly convinced him she was right, though. Smiling softly with a nod, Simon relented, kicked off his shoes and sat back on their bed. He looked up at Kaylee as he lay back against the pillows comfortably, gesturing for her to join him.

"Why don't we leave the taking care for an occasion that really warrants it?" Simon suggested. "Come here, _xin gan_, come lie with me."

Kaylee considered Simon for a moment. She wanted to take her time undressing him, to caress and kiss all of the soreness she figured was plaguing his muscles from the fall away and just generally make him feel a whole lot better, but at the same time she couldn't refuse him when he looked at her with those electric blue eyes of his, that soft, sorrowful smile gracing his lips.

Rolling her eyes slightly, playfully, Kaylee slowly moved forward toward the bed, settling herself on the opposite side and lying back, turning into Simon. She nuzzled into his neck and closed her eyes, shivering pleasantly as his arms wrapped around her. There was nothing more she loved than being in his embrace, it just felt so right; so perfect.

Simon smiled softly down at Kaylee, tipping his head forward to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. She looked so fragile, so adorable and vulnerable when she curled herself up in his arms that he wanted nothing more than to protect her and shelter her from the world. When they were together, locked in an embrace like they were in that moment, he could do just that.

Kaylee sighed softly, a contented sigh, and snuggled as close to Simon as she could. The heat of the summer night drifted in through the window, warming her. Whatever warmth was lost in translation from the ambient air to her skin was more than compensated for by the heat emanating from Simon's body pressed firmly and comfortably up against hers. Her eyes slowly fluttered closed and she yawned widely.

"I love you, Simon," Kaylee whispered.

A pleasant warmth and fuzziness overcame her senses and before she could say another word, she drifted off into a deep sleep, still in her day clothes.

"I love you too, Kaylee," Simon replied.

He glanced down at her and felt her breathing slow as her features relaxed completely. It was clear that she was sleeping and Simon took to gently rubbing her shoulder where his arm wrapped under her neck and around her, keeping her close to him. He wanted to keep the nightmares at bay and keep her sleeping peacefully, restfully.

Watching her sleep for a while, Simon thought about just how much he really did love her. He'd never before loved anyone like Kaylee. He smiled and let his eyes flutter closed. Snuggling closer to Kaylee, Simon inhaled deeply, the scent of her shampoo making him feel comfortable and familiar.

Yawning softly, Simon shifted just the smallest bit so that he was perfectly nestled. The soft sounds of Kaylee's breathing relaxed him and soon he found himself willingly letting go of his reality matrix, slipping into a blissful sleep.

Together they slept dreamlessly, absorbed in nothing but each other even in their slumber. They'd been through so much, both together and alone, and they deserved the love they'd found. It was perfect and it was only going to get better in the next several days. The anticipation, the tenderness and sensitivity with which they planned on spending the days to follow would make what they were building up toward all that much more amazing and worthwhile.

All Kaylee wanted was Simon. All Simon wanted was to make Kaylee happy, and he planned on doing just that. He had the perfect idea for their last night on Harvest. He would make love to Kaylee like she'd never been loved before at that time. He would make it everything she deserved and then some. In the meantime however he would simply focus all of his love and attention on her. He would make the days building up to the last night as full and perfect as he could.

Murmuring lightly in his sleep, all thoughts aside, Simon shifted and nuzzled more closely to Kaylee, anticipating the following day with the smallest of smiles curving his lips.

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Translations**

_Baobei_: Darling  
_Xin gan_: Sweetheart  
_Wan xi_: Relax  
_Shen hu xi_: Take a deep breath

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_  
A.N.: Well guys, tell me what you think! I hope you like it! Jules_


	2. Shindig

_Disclaimer: Firefly belongs to Joss Whedon._

_On a trip planetside on Kaylee's home world of Harvest, she shows Simon that there's more to life outside Serenity's walls than he ever could have thought. Simon/Kaylee established relationship fluff set post BDM. Expected as being 13 chapters long. Translations at the bottom of the page!_

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Chapter 2: Shindig**

Kaylee grinned as she entered her and Simon's bedroom, the curls Inara had put in her hair bouncing around her angelic face. She stopped just inside the doorway, slipping the door shut behind her as her eyes settled on the young doctor. He was in the process of tying the tie around his neck. Glancing up, Simon noticed Kaylee standing behind him, her reflection in the mirror before him. He smiled lightly and turned to face her, finishing tying the knot properly.

"You look amazing," Simon breathed. "You are so incredibly _meili_."

Kaylee blushed and stepped forward a little, reaching out to settle her hands on Simon's shoulders.

"It's all thanks to 'Nara," Kaylee said bashfully.

"Inara only helped to exemplify what's already there," Simon said softly. "You're beautiful, Kaylee, believe me."

She decided to stop arguing with him and accepted his compliment. Smiling brightly she glanced down, her gaze raking over his body, a soft giggle escaping her. Simon's eyebrows furrowed and he wondered what the matter was. He was just about to ask as Kaylee spoke up.

"Ya didn't have to dress up so much," she said brightly. "It's just a good old fashioned family shindig. My ma and pa, my brothers and a few friends. Nothin' fancy like you're used to."

"That's what this is about, my outfit?" Simon asked. "Well it was either this or nothing."

Kaylee's lips curled into a coy, mischievous grin.

"I kinda like the second idea," she said, a seductive purr to her voice.

Simon rolled his eyes and a playful smile crept onto his lips.

"If you manage to last through the evening then maybe I can do something about that idea…" He trailed off.

"You are such a tease, Simon Tam," Kaylee said, pouting playfully.

"But you love me anyway, and I love you," Simon replied.

"Well o'course I love you!" Kaylee squeaked happily.

"Alright, now that we have that settled, why don't you finish getting ready and let me finish so we can get going?" He suggested.

Kaylee nodded enthusiastically and stepped away from Simon. She went to their closet and pulled open the doors. She quickly found the outfit she was going to wear: a simple, short brown skirt and a long sleeved pink silk top. With that she had a pair of matching brown flipflops. Glancing over her shoulder she saw that Simon was engrossed in buttoning his vest and so she quickly stripped off the coveralls she wore and changed into the outfit she had for the evening.

Walking over to the mirror beside Simon, Kaylee made sure not a hair was out of place and that her makeup hadn't smudged. Pleased with how she looked she stepped back and sat on the bed, looking up at Simon as he finished getting ready for the night's festivities. At first his insatiable need to be perfect and proper for every occasion had puzzled and somewhat annoyed her, but she'd grown to adore the quality in him. It was amusing and endearing, if nothing else.

Finishing up with his suit, Simon turned to face Kaylee. He stepped toward her and gallantly reached out a hand to help her up. When she took it he tugged very lightly to stand her up, pulling her flush against his body. Kaylee gasped softly in surprise at the swiftness with which she was pulled to her feet. Her arms came to wrap quickly around Simon's waist, steadying her where she stood. She leaned her head forward against Simon's chest, her eyes closing for a moment as she inhaled the scent, something akin to cinnamon mixed with a note that was distinctly Simon, so clean and purely male, that clung to him. She relaxed into his embrace, only then feeling that his arms had crept around her to hold her close, and sighed contently. She was beyond happy there in his arms and didn't feel at all like moving, but she knew they would have to soon. There was partying to be had, after all.

Pulling away slowly, Kaylee looked up at Simon, her hands on his hips. He looked ready for some sort of a ball, the social event of the season, not a small gathering of friends and family. She pursed her lips and decided that he was overdressed and it mildly irked her after all. Reaching up she swiftly loosened his tie and was slipping it up over his head before he could protest. She got it off and tossed it aside, grinning up at him.

"What are you doing?" Simon asked curiously.

"Makin' sure ya fit in with the rest o' the family!" Kaylee replied innocently.

Simon looked at her mildly incredulously for a moment before sighing and giving in, dropping his hands to his sides. He watched Kaylee as she helped him shrug out of his jacket, leaving him in his shirt and vest. He groaned a little as he shifted around to get the layer off, his ribs giving an agonizing twinge after his fall the previous night. Kaylee looked up at him sympathetically for a moment. She decided the vest had to go, too, and quickly unbuttoned it. Simon was amazed at just _how_ quickly she'd done it. He smiled wryly and watched as she began to unbutton his shirt. He reached up swiftly, stopping her at the third button.

"Is naked your idea of fitting in!" Simon exclaimed in surprise.

Kaylee only giggled.

"I wasn't undressin' ya completely, just undoin' a few buttons," she replied softly. "Relax, honey, let go a little. You don't have to worry about bein' all proper tonight. All you gotta worry about is havin' fun!"

"I'm sure that will happen pretty definitely," Simon said with a chuckle.

"Good! If you plan on havin' fun, that's one less thing for me to worry about!" Kaylee said brightly. "Now come on, let's get goin'! We don't wanna miss anything!"

Simon relented, realizing she had a point. It wouldn't do for them to miss anything. He nodded and reached out, taking Kaylee's hand in his and heading toward the door. Opening it he let her out ahead of him, always the perfect gentleman, and followed along closely on her heels.

They reached the back door quickly and stepped off the back porch, both glancing around. There were tables laden with food and drinks by the porch, chairs all over the place, a local group of musicians perched at one corner of the yard and plenty of dancing space in between spread out before them. Kaylee grinned brightly, waving to a few old friends, tugging Simon firmly along as she went to greet them. He stood by awkwardly as she was engulfed by their attention, feeling something like a third wheel. He was just about to excuse himself and go get a drink when Kaylee turned back and grasped his arm, pulling him toward her old friends.

"Simon, I want ya to meet Mina, Jessie and Ray, three o' the best friends a girl could ever have," she said warmly. "And I want you three to meet Simon."

The three girls stepped forward, all taking their turn in shaking Simon's hand and exchanging pleasantries. They were pleasant enough, he decided, but nowhere near as amazing as Kaylee was to him. That was love, he decided. Nobody else could ever seem even remotely right. He smiled softly and looked down at Kaylee, deciding to give her a few minutes to mingle and catch up with her friends.

"Why don't I go get us something to drink?" He suggested. "I'll be back soon."

With that, Simon leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Kaylee's lips. She inhaled sharply as pleasant tingles shot through her body and watched Simon through half-closed eyes as he walked away. Drawing herself back up to her full height and alertness, she turned back to her friends, all of whom were giggling and whispering amongst each other.

In the meanwhile, as Kaylee caught up with her old friends, Simon made his way across the lawn toward the drinks table. He was intercepted half way there by Kaylee's father. The older man looked the doctor up and down, not having had much of a chance to talk to him since the crew had arrived on Harvest the day prior. He'd wanted to talk to Simon, to see what made the doc tick, and especially to make sure that he was treating his little girl with all the love and respect she deserved, but for precisely those reasons, Kaylee had refused to leave Simon alone with her father. She didn't want all sorts of questions, awkward or otherwise, jeopardizing her newfound bliss with the doctor.

"Slow down there, son," Ephraim Frye said coolly. "Lil' Kaylee's busyin' herself with the other girl folk, you best give her some time. 'Sides, I was hopin' I could talk to you."

Simon paused mid step and shifted slightly uncomfortably, crossing his arms over his chest and looking up at Kaylee's father who was a good head taller than him and quite a bit more muscular. He met the man's gaze and stood rooted to the spot, glancing over to Kaylee for a moment before glancing back. At that same moment, Kaylee's mother joined them, turning her hazel eyes on Simon and smiling softly.

"Don't let this big old bear scare ya," Delia Frye said politely, turning to Ephraim. "You be nice to the boy. He's the best thing that's ever happened to our little girl."

Simon blushed slightly at the comment, while Ephraim surveyed him with a scrutinizing gaze.

"We'll see about that," he said lightly.

Delia swatted her husband affectionately on the shoulder to shush him before turning her kind eyes back to Simon.

"Why don't you tell us all about how you and Kaylee met, dear?" She suggested.

Nodding, Simon began telling the long and not exactly pleasant tale of the Alliance, of River and what they'd done to her. Delia seemed completely enthralled by the story, whereas Ephraim managed a stoic expression which unnerved Simon more than even anger would have. He finished telling the story, throwing in a few compliments, a few highlights and moments in which Kaylee had kept him going when nothing else could have. It didn't hurt to enhance the tale, he figured.

"That sounds just like my little girl," Delia said proudly. "Always the kind-hearted one. That's such a tragic story, but I'm sure you feel it was worth it for the happy ending, don't you?"

"Of course," Simon replied.

"Worth it or not, all I wanna know is do you love my little girl?" Ephraim interjected. "Do you plan on keepin' her? Because if you _ever _get it into your mind to hurt her in any way, I swear to you that you'll wish you'd never crossed her path."

Simon's mouth opened and closed in shock a few times. He went from feeling nervous to downright terrified in less than a second. He glanced over at Kaylee's mother, who looked equally shocked that her husband would say what was on his mind in such a threatening manner. She put a hand over her mouth to keep from expressing what she had on her mind as Simon floundered, looking for the words. He finally found what he wanted to say.

"Mr. Frye, I assure you that if I ever hurt Kaylee I would punish myself more gravely than you could ever think to bring justice to the situation," he croaked. "I love Kaylee with all my heart, more than I ever thought I could love anyone in the world. She means more to me than anything I've ever known. Losing her or hurting her would make life empty, it would make it not worth living anymore. I promise you that for as long as she'll have me, I'll love her and cherish her like she deserves to be loved and cherished. I'll keep her safe, I'll keep her smiling. I will do whatever it takes to make her happy, I will give her whatever her heart desires. I will be the man that she's always dreamed of, I will take care of her. I promise you, Mr. and Mrs. Frye that Kaylee is in good hands with me and that I would never hurt her."

By then, tears had welled in Delia's eyes. Ephraim seemed a little more impressed, but still not quite pacified.

"What exactly are your intentions with my girl?" He asked. "Do you intend on marryin' her?"

Honestly? Simon hadn't really considered that in a long while. Of course he'd thought about it, but with thoughts of asking Kaylee to marry him came doubts. He didn't have much, if anything, to give her. All he had was himself, his love to give. He didn't know if she'd want that, if it was enough, and he didn't know if he could face the rejection if it _wasn't_. He sighed and ran a nervous hand through his hair, finally steeling his resolve. He'd take the rejection if it came to that, but he wouldn't know until he tried.

"Yes," he replied. "I've thought on it a lot and I do plan on proposing. With your permission, your blessing, I'd like to take Kaylee's hand in marriage."

Both Ephraim and Delia Frye studied Simon. Tears welled in Delia's eyes whereas Ephraim's expression softened several degrees. Simon looked apprehensive, wondering what their response would be to his admission. He swallowed thickly, his eyes darting over to Kaylee and her friends again. She looked happy, completely absorbed in her conversation with the other three, paying no attention whatsoever to him. Shaking off his distraction, he turned his attention back to the Fryes, waiting for the verdict.

"Any boy who wears his heart on his sleeve and bears his soul all honestly like that is perfect for my girl," Delia commented quietly.

She glanced over at Ephraim emphatically, hoping he would agree.

"You're a sap, boy," the older man said evenly. "But you got my attention. You sound noble and respectable enough, and you sure look the part. You have my blessin', boy, but mark my words, I'll be watchin' you over the next couple of weeks. You best keep to your word and take care o' my little girl like ya said you would."

Simon nodded and glanced past Ephraim toward the drinks table. With a wave of his hand, Kaylee's father dismissed the young doctor and Simon gratefully slipped away, quickly reaching for two cups. He filled them both with cider, a strong one too, if he wasn't mistaken, and set the bottle down. Picking up both cups he turned around and made his way back over to Kaylee who seemed to have calmed a little from the initial hype she'd gotten upon seeing her friends.

He smiled when he reached her and held out a glass of cider for her. She took it with a smile as he took a sip of his own cider and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. She'd already had a few drinks with her friends in the time he'd been gone, but she wasn't about to tell him that. Instead she brought her glass up to her lips and sipped the cider, turning her shining eyes up at Simon.

"Thanks, sweetie," she said warmly. "What took ya so long?"

Pulling his glass away from his lips, Simon glanced over to Delia and Ephraim, who'd gone over to talk to Mal and Inara.

"I stopped to talk with your parents," he replied.

Kaylee's face fell a little.

"Aw, honey, they didn't hassle ya or nothin', did they?" She asked softly.

Deciding he didn't want to start anything, Simon shook his head and smiled warmly.

"Of course not," he replied. "They're very nice people. Of course I couldn't have expected anything else, what with you as their daughter. Children certainly are a map of their parents."

Smiling brightly once again, Kaylee leaned into Simon, an arm wrapping around his waist while her cheek rested against his chest. She glanced over at her friends and dismissed them with a friendly wave of her hand. She'd have plenty more time to spend with them, but at that moment, she wanted to be alone with Simon for a spell.

Watching Kaylee's friends walk away, Simon glanced down at her. He leaned in to gently brush his lips over hers in a soft kiss, enjoying the shiver he felt run through her at the gesture. He rubbed her back gently with the hand he'd wound around her as he pulled away to take another sip of the cider he held. It was strong and he was already beginning to feel a little fuzzy, but it was pleasant.

"They seem like nice girls," Simon commented.

"Depends on what you mean by _nice_," Kaylee said with a giggle.

Simon smiled wryly as her implication hit him. He watched Kaylee as she took a long swig of the cider he'd brought her. She glowed in the warm lantern lighting of the yard around them and seemed even more beautiful than he could have imagined she would have.

He thought about just how lucky he was. It still saddened him to think that it took a tragedy like Miranda to bring them together. Despite that fact, he was happy that they'd found each other and stood together in the face of adversity. He smiled softly as he reflected on their relationship and all of its elements.

At the beginning he and Kaylee had been much more physical about their relationship than they were at the present. They'd been together spur the moment, they'd rutted on each other uninhibited, but each time Simon was left feeling like there was something missing. It was that feeling which had led him and Kaylee to have a deep, heartfelt discussion about where their relationship was going. Sure, they both loved the physical aspect, they couldn't keep their hands off of each other, but at the same time they were both intrinsically aware of the fact that without something more to hold them together, one day they would drift apart.

So, all of that being said, they'd vowed to take things slowly. Kaylee had been hesitant to accept Simon's suggestion of abstaining from making love, but she saw in his eyes how much he needed to take it slow with her. To a certain degree, she agreed with him. They needed depth. She accepted him at long last when he'd told her that he didn't just want sex from her. He wanted, needed to show her how much he loved her deeply, emotionally, before he could show her through physical union all that she meant to him.

Over the course of the next week, Simon had watched Kaylee, had seen the level of self restraint in her eyes that it took her to keep from just pushing him up against the wall like she'd done in the past. He deeply appreciated her efforts and rewarded her with plenty of gentle, loving pampering every evening. Then, when the captain had announced their shore leave on Harvest, Simon had come to an agreement with Kaylee. On the last day of their shore leave, he'd finally take her again. He'd make love to her slowly, gently, and show her for the first time how much she truly meant to him. Everything after that was going to be like it was before their truce.

Grinning at the thought, Simon focused his attention back down on Kaylee. Her eyes were getting glassy from the cider and her tanned skin was flushed. He imagined he looked something akin to that. Feeling utterly relaxed, Simon slipped his arm from around Kaylee and reached out, taking her glass from her. He stepped away for a moment to settle both his and her glasses down on a bench not too far off. Returning to Kaylee's side, Simon offered her a hand. The band had just struck up a tune that caught his attention.

"Would you care to join me in a dance?" He asked softly.

Giggling at his politeness, Kaylee nodded and took his hand.

"I'd be delighted, Dr. Tam," she replied brightly. "Just one problem. I don't know how to dance all fancy like to songs like this…"

Simon smiled softly as he pulled Kaylee closer, settling one hand on her hip, setting her hand on his shoulder, and clasping her other one in his. He was so close that one could not have slipped so much as a sheet of paper between him and Kaylee. She felt soothed and relaxed by the warmth of his body pressed against hers. Nudging her gently, Simon stepped with her, leading her.

"It's easy," he told her lightly. "You just have to be close to your partner, close enough to feel their heartbeat. Just follow that."

Nodding lightly, Kaylee closed her eyes, trying to feel the music, to feel the rhythm of Simon's heart. She stumbled clumsily a few times, following her own galloping heart. Blushing furiously she looked up into Simon's eyes.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"Don't be," Simon said gently. "Just try again. _Wan xi_, _baobei_."

Soothed a little by his words, Kaylee allowed herself to be led along. Soon she found herself catching on, the steps becoming natural rather than forced. Of course she was still nowhere near as good as Simon, but she was pleased enough by her progress. She leaned into him, supported by his hand on her hip, stuck in the perfect romantic moment. She found herself thankful that Simon had insisted they take it slow. If he hadn't, she might never have had a moment like the one she was in with him.

The song wound down far too quickly for either of their likings, but even as the others dancing around them separated and cheered as a line dance rhythm was struck up, they stayed together in each other's arms. Kaylee was perfectly comfortable right where she was and Simon would oblige her. He loved holding her warm, soft body against his. She fit so well in his arms.

Smiling softly, Simon looked around them. The couples dancing on every which side of them were trying furiously to avoid them and he decided it might be best to move out of the way. Prodding at Kaylee softly he snapped her out of her contented haze, urging her along with him as he moved toward the outskirts of the dance square. They narrowly escaped being bowled over by a pair of Kaylee's friends and both laughed softly.

At that moment, dizziness overwhelmed Kaylee for a split second and she dropped onto the bench beside them, nearly sitting on her and Simon's drinks in the process. She giggled as Simon quickly sat beside her, reaching up to cup her face in his hands. He met her gaze with a concerned one of his own and brushed a few strands of hair away from her features. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked over her.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly.

"I'm shiny, Simon, just a little shaky is all," she said, still giggling.

"Shaky?" Simon said, raising an eyebrow. "Is that just your covert way of saying drunk?"

"Maybe," Kaylee snickered.

Smiling wryly, Simon leaned in and pressed his forehead to hers, gently nuzzling her nose with his, teasing her softly. He was beginning to feel the cider too, but he knew he wouldn't be nearly as affected. He was bigger than her and he'd had less to drink. He also hadn't downed most of his cider in one gulp. Pressing his lips to Kaylee's, Simon wrapped his arms around her and pressed her body to his, supporting her pleasantly relaxed form. He kissed her deeply for a long moment, drawing a soft moan from her, before letting go and pulling back to meet her eyes again.

"Why don't we head up to our room?" Simon suggested.

"But it's so early," Kaylee said, pouting.

"It's almost midnight," he countered.

"Yeah, early!" Kaylee argued playfully.

"I'll tell you what," Simon said softly. "If we go upstairs and you decide you still want to come back in a little bit, we'll come back. Otherwise we can just stay upstairs and relax."

Kaylee seemed to consider his suggestion for a moment before relenting with a nod.

"Good," Simon said lightly. "Come on then."

He stood slowly and reached out, offering Kaylee a hand up. She took it and grasped on as firmly as she could, trying to pull herself up. Failing miserably she dropped back onto the bench much like before, giggling madly. Simon chuckled softly and shook his head. He knew she'd have a fearsome hangover the next day. Stooping down a bit, Simon wrapped one arm around Kaylee's shoulders and the other under her knees. He picked her up easily, groaning as his ribs ached from the previous day's adventures, and shifted her so she was comfortable. She squealed as he did so and wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging tightly to him as he headed toward the house.

On the way inside the pair of them passed by the crew and Kaylee's parents. Simon exchanged a few pleasantries and Kaylee waved on the way by before continuing on up the steps to the porch. Crossing the threshold with Kaylee in his arms, Simon smiled wryly. He knew that if things went in his favor he'd be doing the same with her as his wife in a few short months. The thought made his heart skip as he headed up the steps with Kaylee, carrying her into their bedroom.

Snapping out of his reverie, Simon settled Kaylee gently down on their bed, slipping his arms out from under her and sitting at her side. He reached out, gently brushing her hair back from her eyes and running his hand down over her cheek. Her eyes fluttered closed as his pleasantly warm palm settled on the side of her face, relaxing her effortlessly. She nuzzled into Simon's hand and sighed contently.

"Still thinking about going back down to the party?" Simon asked.

"Not a chance," Kaylee said breathily. "Feels too nice an' comfy lyin' here."

Smiling softly, Simon slipped his hand down, massaging the crook of Kaylee's neck and shoulder.

"Why don't you let me get you out of those clothes?" He suggested gently. "You'll be even more comfortable."

Nodding slightly with a giggle, Kaylee stretched herself out on the bed, completely prone to Simon's ministrations. Interrupting his gentle massaging, Simon's hands settled at Kaylee's hips.

"Arch up a bit for me," he instructed.

As Kaylee did so, Simon's hands slipped under her back and quickly slipped the zipper to her skirt down. The second his hands were clear she fell back into a relaxed position again, her eyes opening as she tipped her head to look at him.

"You're too good to me, Simon Tam," she murmured.

"Nothing is too good for you, _xin gan_," he argued softly.

Continuing undressing her, Simon slipped her skirt down off of her hips, pulling it slowly down her legs. At her feet her managed to get it off and set it aside, slipping her flipflops off in the meantime. He paused at her feet, reaching out and spending a few minutes gently massaging each one, making her moan softly and try to pull her foot away when something tickled. He smiled and decided to stop teasing, moving back up to her waist. He reached out, lightly brushing her cheek to get her to open her eyes and focus her attention on him for a moment.

"Sit up so I can slip your shirt off," Simon instructed.

"You're gonna have to help me on that count," Kaylee giggled.

Shaking his head with a wry smile, Simon reached out and grasped Kaylee's hand firmly, pulling her into a sitting position and wrapping an arm around her waist to steady her. Once he was sure she was alright to support herself his hands found the hem of her shirt and he pulled up slowly. Kaylee giggled and twitched a little as his fingers gently tickled her ribcage. He paused for a moment to tease her on purpose before moving on, prompting her to raise her arms, and slipping the shirt completely off.

Setting it aside on the chair with her skirt, Simon reached around Kaylee and deftly unclasped her bra. She bit her lip as the cool room air hit her previously covered skin when Simon slipped it off of her and added it to the growing pile of her clothes. He tried to avoid letting his eyes linger on her body at all costs. If he did, he might be tempted to break his vow of abstinence. He didn't want to rush things, not for any reason, and so he tried to stay objective. He fought to bring his physician's detachment to the forefront of his mind. If he could look at the situation clinically, look at Kaylee for the time being as he looked at any other naked woman he was presented with, then he could keep himself in check.

That thought in mind, Simon cleared his throat and grasped for control, reaching for Kaylee's light, lacy nightgown. Prompting her to keep her arms up he slowly slipped it on for her, smiling at the shiver that went through her body when the cool, silky fabric tickled the skin of her ribs. He made sure it was on comfortably before gently setting a hand on her shoulder and guiding her back to lie down. He leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep?" Simon suggested.

"Naw, I don't need sleep, I'm shiny," Kaylee murmured, stifling a yawn.

"Okay, well, how about this," Simon said softly. "I'll go get ready for bed and we can snuggle when I come back?"

"Sounds like a plan," Kaylee said with a light giggle.

Smiling, Simon nodded and stood slowly from the bed. Before going to change into his own pajamas, he grasped the blanket where it had been folded down earlier and he pulled it up over Kaylee. Tucking it comfortably around her he leaned in and brushed a gentle kiss over her lips before pulling back again. He left her bedside and slipped into the adjacent bathroom, quickly brushing his teeth and slipping into a pair of pajama bottoms.

Returning to the bedroom, Simon grinned at the sight before him. It was just as he'd expected. Kaylee was fast asleep, her mouth just slightly open, snoring lightly. Turning off the light, Simon closed the door behind him and headed for the bed. He crawled in beside Kaylee and gently draped an arm over her waist. He didn't want to risk waking her so he didn't pull her any closer. Instead he nuzzled into her neck gently and pressed a few light kisses to her collarbone, eliciting a few sleepy moans from her.

Closing his eyes, Simon let the full effect of the alcohol he'd consumed wash over him. He relaxed almost immediately, smiling at the thought of the day, and drifted off quickly, completely oblivious to anymore thoughts.

The next day would hold a whole new plethora of surprises and another opportunity for him to realize just how much the summer really had to offer.

* * *

**  
Translations**

_Meili_: Beautiful  
_Wan xi_: Relax  
_Baobei_: Sweetheart  
_Xin gan_: Darling

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_  
A.N.: Tell me what you think! Jules_


	3. Remember When it Rained

_Disclaimer: Firefly and all related elements belong to Joss Whedon._

_On a trip planetside on Kaylee's home world of Harvest, she shows Simon that there's more to life outside Serenity's walls than he ever could have thought. Simon/Kaylee established relationship fluff set post BDM. Expected as being 13 chapters long. Translations at the bottom of the page!_

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**  
Chapter 2: Remember When it Rained **

Kaylee felt sick.

She grumbled as she shifted around, Simon's arm draped over her waist. He was still asleep, but a fierce headache had brought her to full consciousness. It took her a good several minutes to recall the previous night's festivities and just how much cider she'd consumed. She groaned at the thought, regretting it. She didn't remember much after talking to her old girlfriends. Everything was patchy and she remembered snippets, at best.

She remembered dancing with Simon. His gentle words reverberated in her mind and brought a small, weary smile to her lips. She hadn't known the song the band had played, nor had she known the dance. It was something fancier than she was used to, something she might have heard at that ball she'd gone to with the captain many months before had they stayed longer. But Simon had been there, showing her the simple steps, guiding her along. He was always such a perfect gentleman.

She frowned when her memory cut out after that. She remembered the bedroom afterward, remembered Simon beginning to slip her clothes off, but other than that everything was blank. Sighing, she decided she wasn't going to push herself to remember. If she ever did get the memories back, great, if not, well, maybe it was for the best.

Groaning softly again, Kaylee rolled over and sat up, Simon's arm slipping from her waist into her lap. She looked down at herself and saw that she'd been changed into her nightgown. Another part of her night she apparently didn't remember. Maybe if she really cared enough once she felt a bit better she'd ask Simon about that. Otherwise, she wasn't particularly interested in the recollections.

She was just about to slip out from under Simon's arm and make her way to the bathroom when she felt his grip on her tighten slightly. Looking over, Kaylee realized he'd awakened. He was smiling softly at her. She returned the smile and watched him as he shifted, stretching and sitting up. It took just one clear look at her for Simon to see that she was hung over. He reached out and brushed some hair away from her face, letting his palm linger against the warm skin of her cheek for a moment.

"How are you feeling?" Simon asked.

"That bad, huh?" She asked wryly. "Usually ya kiss me first an' ask questions later. If you're askin' first, I gotta look pretty awful."

Chuckling softly, Simon leaned in and pressed his lips gently to Kaylee's forehead for a moment before pulling back to meet her gaze again.

"You don't look bad at all," he replied. "I'm just concerned."

"Nothin' ta worry about, I've survived plenty worse hangovers," Kaylee said weakly.

"I don't doubt that," Simon said softly. "But you don't have to suffer this time. I'll get you a glass of water and something for the headache, just stay here."

With that he slipped out of bed, leaving Kaylee under the covers to rest. She watched him, smiling appreciatively at the way his pajamas clung to all the right places as he walked toward the bathroom. He picked up Kaylee's water glass from the bedside table on the way and went to fill it. In the meanwhile she sat in bed, curling herself up more comfortably and wondering just what they could do that day. The forecast called for rain but when she looked out the window there wasn't a single cloud in the sky.

Her attention snapped back to Simon when he came back into the bedroom, a brimming water glass in his hand. He set it down on the bedside table and knelt, reaching for the med kit he kept nearby so that if anything happened he didn't have to run all the way back to Serenity to fetch something. Looking through it he found the pills he needed and took two of them from the vial before putting it back. After zipping up the med kit and stowing it away again, Simon moved to Kaylee's side on the bed and held the tablets out to her, reaching for her glass of water with the other hand and handing it to her. Kaylee smiled weakly as she took both from Simon, swallowing the pills quickly and sipping a bit of the water.

"_Xiexie_, Simon," she said softly.

He nodded softly and took her water glass when she was done, replacing it on the side table. Turning back to her, Simon cupped her face in his hands and leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. Kaylee inhaled sharply at the delicate contact, kissing him back equally softly. When he pulled away a moment later, her eyes fluttered open slowly and she smiled, leaning into him as his arms threaded around her.

Simon gently rubbed Kaylee's back as she rested in his arms, relaxing. All he wanted was to make her feel better. He didn't have anything planned for that day so if they didn't decide on anything they could easily just sit at home and relax for a day. They owed it to themselves to take some down time and just be together, alone. Quality time would be wonderful for their growing relationship. He wanted them to have a deep connection, deeper than they already had, before he showed Kaylee how much she meant to him on an even greater level. After that, everything was fair game.

Leaning his head down, Simon pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Kaylee's head, inhaling the sweet, flowery scent of her shampoo. He nuzzled her softly as he held her, waiting for the painkiller to work. Glancing outside the window Simon noticed some sparse clouds moving out into the previously clear blue sky. He hoped it didn't rain. At the same time, though, he wanted the rain. He wanted to sit under the overhang on the porch and watch the droplets fall with Kaylee cuddled up in his arms.

Simon smiled wryly, realizing he really was a hopeless romantic.

Kaylee shifted a little in Simon's arms, making herself perfectly comfortable. The headache was already starting to fade thanks to the tablets she'd taken, and Simon's gentle heartbeat against her cheek only helped her recovery along. She loved it when he took care of her like he was. He was always so good to her, so sweet and kind. She wouldn't have traded him for anyone else in the world.

After a few minutes, Kaylee decided that as much as she didn't want to move, she needed to. Glancing at the bedside clock she realized they'd already missed breakfast. Sighing softly she glanced up at Simon as she pulled away, smiling softly.

"Guess we'd better get on with the day," she said lightly.

"Yes, but I'll tell you what," Simon proposed. "Why don't we relax today, spend the day at home, or at least nearby? I think we could both use some down time together."

Kaylee heartily agreed. She nodded softly and ran a hand through her messy hair. Simon chuckled softly and reached out to tame an unruly strand of her locks before slowly moving away from her, standing up.

"I'm going to take a shower," he said softly. "I'll be back soon."

She nodded softly in return and watched him walk away. She was so incredibly lucky to have him, and somehow, even without him having to tell her, she knew he felt the same way. Sighing softly she made her way out of bed, heading to the vanity. Sitting in front of it, Kaylee was almost scared by her reflection. Her hair was all over the place, sticking up in unruly clumps, while her makeup had smudged and left dark black circles around her eyes. Reaching over, Kaylee picked up a bottle of a facial cleanser and a few cotton balls. She definitely had work to do.

In the meanwhile, Simon took his time showering, letting the water run over his sore, bruised back and ribcage. That fall he'd taken the first night had really done him some damage and he didn't fancy another encounter with a ladder as long as he lived. He ran a sponge delicately over the bruises, hissing as he did so. It was all for Kaylee, though, so it was worth the pain. The look on her face when she'd seen the sunset had been far more than enough to convince him of that. If it meant making Kaylee happy, he'd fall off another hundred ladders.

As the couple went about preparing for the day, Inara made her way down the hall toward their quarters. She'd seen Simon carrying Kaylee inside the previous night and she had an inkling as to why that was. When they hadn't been present at breakfast that morning she grew concerned and hoped that Kaylee was alright. She knew that hangovers could be awful. It had to be a hang over. After all, Kaylee had told her all about her and Simon's pact of abstinence back when they'd first called it. She didn't think anything in the world would make Simon break the promise he'd made to both himself and Kaylee. When she thought over all and weighed of that information, Inara decided that regardless of what had happened, she'd feel better checking on Kaylee.

Arriving at her and Simon's bedroom door, Inara knocked softly, hearing nothing from the inside. A moment later she heard Kaylee's soft voice inviting her in. When she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her, Inara found Kaylee sitting before the vanity and brushing kohl away from beneath her eyes. The Companion smiled softly at the young mechanic and stepped forward. She could see that the girl didn't look as bad as she'd anticipated, for which she was glad.

"Good morning, _meimei_," Inara greeted softly.

"Hey 'Nara," Kaylee replied. "What're you doin' here?"

"I came to check on you," she said warmly. "You weren't at breakfast and I grew concerned."

"You didn' have to check up on me, I'm doin' fine," Kaylee said, a light flush coloring her cheeks.

"For that I'm glad," Inara replied lightly. "Why don't you let me wash away the makeup for you?"

Nodding softly, Kaylee relented the cotton balls she was holding to Inara. The older woman took them and soaked them again in the cleanser before reaching out to gently hold Kaylee's chin up with one hand while cleaning off the streaks of eyeliner and mascara with the other. At that moment she heard the adjacent shower shut off and guessed that it was Simon. She turned her attention back to Kaylee and finished up cleaning off the makeup slowly, smiling gently the whole while at the younger girl.

At that moment, Simon realized he'd forgot to bring clean clothes into the bathroom with him. Drying off he set the towel aside and went to dash into the bedroom to get something to wear. He stepped out and headed for the closet, pausing in mid step when he turned his head and noticed Inara with Kaylee. Both women were looking at him. Kaylee was smiling and trying to hold back a fit of giggles while Inara's expression was soft, calm.

Simon felt his heart freeze and stop for a moment. It took him a good six or seven seconds to realize what was going on. The moment he did he turned on his heel and wordlessly strode back into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. By then he'd turned a good nine different shades of red. Turning to the mirror he braced his hands on the counter and held on, his knuckles turning white. Why did it always happen to _him_?

The second the door closed behind Simon, Kaylee burst out in a vehement fit of giggles while Inara's lips turned up in a delicate smile. All of Kaylee's tales, the ones Inara had always considered embellished delusions of Simon's grandeur, had just been confirmed. He really did look amazing under all of those layers and he certainly was well endowed. She'd noticed the bruising on his ribs and she guessed it was an aftereffect from the tumble he'd taken down the ladder. Shrugging off her concern, Inara focused her attention once again. Turning to the giggling mechanic, Inara shushed her gently.

"I'm not sure Simon would appreciate your laughing at his predicament," Inara said with a chuckle of her own. "He certainly has become a lot more easy going since his first days aboard the ship, but I'm sure he's still quite easily intimidated."

"I'm sorry 'Nara, I couldn't resist," Kaylee said, stifling more giggles.

Meanwhile, Simon stood completely mortified in the bathroom. He groaned inwardly. He was a physician, he was used to seeing people completely dishabille, yet when it happened to him he was so easily embarrassed. It was stupid, really. Besides, Inara had seen her fair share of men without their clothes in her lifetime, why did he feel any more intimidated than any of them? He shook off the tremors that had gripped his body and steeled himself, deciding on finishing up with brushing his teeth and a few other things before venturing out into the bedroom again.

Kaylee had finally calmed down from her giggle fit and Inara had managed to finish cleaning all of the makeup off of her features. She looked down at the younger girl and smiled softly, lightly resting a hand on the mechanic's cheek for a moment.

"I'll leave you to your routine," Inara said softly. "You should probably go see to Simon. I'll see you later."

"See ya, 'Nara," Kaylee replied.

With that the Companion turned and left the room, the door closing behind her with a soft _snick_. Kaylee watched her friend go and gave herself the opportunity to let a few more giggles out before standing and heading toward the bathroom door. She reached it and tried the doorknob, discovering it was locked. Sighing softly, she knocked.

"Simon, honey?" She asked gently.

"Please tell me you're alone," came his muffled reply.

"It's just me out here," Kaylee replied. "Why don'tcha let me in?"

There was a long, pregnant pause in which Kaylee began to worry that she'd never get Simon out of the bathroom before she heard the door unlocking. She waited a second and pushed it open, stepping inside and finding Simon with a towel wrapped around his waist. He was still a darling shade of pink and it brought a soft smile to her lips. Reaching out she took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Aw, honey, you don't got nothin' ta be bashful over," Kaylee said brightly.

"Whether or not I have anything to be bashful over, that was still embarrassing," Simon muttered.

"You don't have ta be embarrassed," Kaylee commented. "You ain't got nothin' 'Nara hasn't seen before. Now if it was Jayne, _then_ I could see why you'd be embarrassed, but not 'Nara."

Of course, Kaylee had a point. Sighing softly, Simon ran his free hand through his still damp hair. At least it had only been a few seconds. It definitely could have been worse. Shaking off the residual awkwardness, Simon turned to Kaylee and smiled softly. Tugging on her arm he pulled her closer and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. Pulling away again he took in her appearance. The makeup that had been smudged under her eyes was gone, but her hair was still something of a mess. Reaching out, Simon picked up the hairbrush lying on the counter and held it up.

"Turn around," he said softly. "I'll brush your hair."

Kaylee's eyes glowed with wonder as she stared up at Simon for a moment. Sometimes she really thought he was too good to be true. Smiling lightly she slowly turned and stood against the counter, watching in the mirror as Simon stepped up behind her and began to gently brush the knots out of her hair. She didn't hiss even once. He was being so careful that he wasn't tugging at all. Instead she felt herself relaxing, shivering occasionally as a strand of hair tickled her neck.

Simon continued gently brushing Kaylee's hair until it was perfectly detangled again. He was used to brushing River's hair and so he'd become rather good at the art. Leaning over Kaylee's shoulder, Simon looked at her reflection in the mirror. Save for the slightly glassy look in her eyes still lingering from the hangover she looked completely fine. Setting the brush down, Simon reached up and ran his fingers through Kaylee's hair, his hands finally coming to rest on her shoulders. She stood still for a moment, enjoying the warmth of his palms against her skin, before turning to look at Simon. Her gaze raked over his body and settled on his ribs. They really were bruised quite badly. Leaning in she settled her hands on Simon's hips and pressed a few gentle, fluttering kisses to his chest, trailing them down to his ribs. Whenever he kissed one of her injuries better, it definitely worked. She only hoped it would work for him, too.

When Kaylee's warm, supple lips touched his ribs, Simon inhaled sharply. The simple kiss was enough to make him want her, but he couldn't let her weaken his resolve. He steeled himself and looked down at her just as she pulled away, smiling lightly.

"You have no idea what you do to my restraint," Simon said with a chuckle.

"Prob'ly the same thing you do ta mine," Kaylee replied with a wink.

She reached out and ran a hand delicately down his ribcage, tickling playfully. Simon only watched, completely amused. Kaylee only teased him for a moment before turning and opening the bathroom door, striding out into the bedroom to get dressed. Simon followed along, making sure that the coast was clear before dropping his towel and getting ready.

Several minutes later the couple had finished up in the bedroom and found their way down to the kitchen where Inara and River were helping Kaylee's mother do the dishes. Delia turned away from the sink when the pair of them entered the room and set her eyes on them, smiling warmly.

"I've set breakfast aside for you two," she said brightly, turning her eyes on Kaylee. "An' how are you doin' this mornin', missy?"

Kaylee smiled softly.

"Shiny," she replied with a smile.

"Good ta hear. After last night I thought you woulda been hung over somethin' fierce," Delia said happily. "You looked well an' truly tanked when that man o' yours carried ya off into the house."

The young mechanic blushed a delicate pink and turned to Simon.

"Was it that bad?" She asked innocently.

"I'm afraid so,_ baobei_," Simon chuckled.

Kaylee winced and groaned inwardly, pursing her lips slightly in a disapproving pout. She turned back to her mother and smiled lightly.

"I was a bit wrecked this mornin' but Simon took real good care o' me," she said brightly.

Delia nodded approvingly and turned to Simon.

"It's nice to see that my little girl's in good hands," she said with a content smile.

The doctor blushed slightly and smiled with a light nod. He watched as Kaylee's mother went back to doing dishes with Inara and River. His gaze turned to Kaylee as she handed him a protein bar, nibbling on one of her own. She'd considered staying in and eating the breakfast her mother had prepared, but then it was so nice outside that she just wanted to get out and breathe the air. Taking Simon's hand she set the half-eaten bar on the counter and tugged him along, bidding a quick goodbye to the ladies in the kitchen before heading for the porch with him in tow. Simon hadn't had time to so much as take a nibble of the bar and in his haste to follow Kaylee he'd dropped it on the counter, not even bothering with it.

Delia turned and watched the young couple go. She chuckled softly to herself and turned back to the dishes as the two of them fled the house. She'd never seen Kaylee so happy and she was glad that her little girl had finally found someone to love and to love her in return. The door opened and closed behind the two lovebirds and Delia knew that they'd be out painting the countryside red, they were so in love.

Kaylee skipped along, pulling Simon with her as she crossed the vast expanse of the field behind the house, heading for the woods. Looking up into the sky she saw a number of clouds gathering, but from the looks of it there wouldn't be any rain for quite some time. That thought in mind, Kaylee decided to take Simon for a nice, long walk in the forest. It was quiet, private and comfortable. The fresh air would do them good.

Simon looked around as Kaylee slowed at the entrance to the woods. There was a nice, wide woodchip pathway leading far into the sparse trees, the canopy overhanging it. Little specks of sunlight penetrated the leaves and cast whimsical spots of illumination on the path. He walked slowly side by side with her as they made their way down the path, enjoying the scenery. As they walked, Kaylee looked over at Simon.

"This is one thing I miss a lot about bein' at home," Kaylee said softly. "Bein' out here, in the wild with nothin' but the birds and the trees for company. There's just somethin' about bein' out in the woods that makes me feel so alive, ya know?"

Simon had never really had the chance to experience nature like he was at that moment, but he was quickly getting to understand what Kaylee meant. Breathing the fresh air, feeling the warm summer breeze on his skin, Simon felt at peace. For the first time in a long time he felt at ease. Looking over at Kaylee, Simon nodded in comprehension.

Tugging on Kaylee's hand as they walked, Simon pulled her closer. He let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, gently stroking her opposite hip as they made their way deeper into the woods. He could see something sparkling in the distance and as they got closer to the source of the glimmer, Simon noticed there was a small pond just off to the side of the path they were on. He glanced over at Kaylee as they neared the bank. The water rippled in the pond and cast a splash of light onto her features; lighting up her eyes and making her look almost unnaturally radiant.

He turned his eyes back to the pond, watching a few fish skim by just beneath the surface. He couldn't think of any place he would rather have been at that moment. It was perfect, peaceful and he had the woman of his dreams standing at his side. Simon turned his gaze down to Kaylee, his heart fluttering at the perfectly content smile gracing her lips. As long as she was happy, he would be too.

Simon turned to Kaylee, gently slipping the hand that held hers up to her upper arm, turning her to face him as well. He planted his hands on her shoulders and leaned in, pressing his forehead delicately to hers, feeling her warm breath on his lips. The hands he had on her shoulders massaged the skin there gently as Kaylee's own hands found his hips. Their eyes met and held; hazel and blue in contrast. They were so completely absorbed in one another, staring unblinkingly for minutes on end, their lips just barely touching, that neither noticed the dark, angry clouds which had gathered overhead or the cool wind which had begun to whistle through the trees.

As the first few droplets of rain fell from the heavens, Simon finally closed the inch of space between him and Kaylee, pressing his lips ever so gently to hers. His hands slipped from her shoulders to her waist and he pulled her closer, ignoring the wetness that had begun to seep into his clothes and his skin as the rain fell increasingly thickly around them. Kaylee's own arms came up to circle Simon's neck and she was forced to her tiptoes as the kiss was deepened, their lips parting and their tongues touching delicately, lovingly.

A sharp crack of thunder a moment later broke the lovers' kiss, startling both of them thoroughly. Kaylee clung to Simon and giggled nervously a moment later, realization dawning on her. Her smile brightened and she looked up at him, raindrops staining the skin of her cheeks.

"Looks like we're gettin' rained out, doc," she said with a soft chuckle.

"I digress," Simon said with a grin.

Leaning in once more he pulled Kaylee closer to him, their chests pressed together firmly, the heat of each other's bodies warming them both against the delicate chill of the rain. Their lips molded against each other's, their kiss deep and passionate. Kaylee let out a soft moan of contentment as Simon's hand slipped under the quickly dampening fabric of her shirt, rubbing her toned back gently, making her shiver. He loved feeling how she reacted to his touches, his kisses, it made him that much more confident that what he was doing was right. She just reacted so wonderfully vividly that he couldn't think otherwise.

Kaylee quickly grew breathless and flushed, finding herself completely enraptured in Simon's kiss. She loved the taste of cinnamon that always seemed to cling to his lips, it was perfectly, captivatingly intoxicating. If she had her way, she'd never have to pull away, to break the kiss, but unfortunately, life had other plans.

All too soon, Simon pulled away and slowly opened his eyes, meeting Kaylee's gaze. He reached out and brushed a few strands of wet hair away from her eyes, watching as a few rivulets of water made their way down over her soft features. They were both soaked to the bone at that point and shivering despite their shared warmth as they remained in each other's embrace.

"We should probably head home," Simon said pointedly. "We don't want to catch cold and spoil our shore leave."

Kaylee smiled wryly and nodded in response. She reluctantly pulled out of Simon's arms and reached out to take his hand instead, tugging him back toward the path down which they'd come. They quickened their pace, nearly jogging down the long and winding road back to the field behind the house. It took them a good fifteen minutes but they finally reached the yard. By then the rain had nearly doubled in intensity and they bolted the last stretch to the house, rushing in through the back door and stopping on the mat, watching the water drip from their clothes and skin onto the floor at their feet.

As the couple stood there, Delia Frye rounded the corner carrying two large, white fluffy towels. She handed them to the pair, smiling knowingly and chuckling softly to herself as she turned and headed for the kitchen.

"You two go an' get cleaned up and dried off now," she instructed. "I'll have some nice, hot tea waitin' for ya when you're all done."

Both smiling impishly, Simon and Kaylee took the towels and dried themselves off as best they could before trudging through the house toward their shared bedroom. Upon reaching it, Simon tossed his own towel aside and brushed a few tendrils of hair away from his eyes before turning to Kaylee. Stepping up to her he gently cupped her face in his hands, bringing her up to look at him.

"Why don't you get undressed and wrapped in a towel?" Simon suggested. "I'll draw you a nice, hot bath."

With that he leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips before turning away and disappearing into the adjacent bathroom. Kaylee smiled softly as she heard the water beginning to splash into the tub. She still believed that Simon was too good to be true. She took her time undressing, tossing her wet clothes into the hamper and wrapping a fresh, warm, dry towel around herself. She slowly made her way toward the bathroom and was assailed with the scent of roses the moment she pushed the door open.

Looking up from where he'd been stirring the water with his hand, Simon smiled at Kaylee and stood, brushing the frothy bubbles from his arm. He stepped toward her and reached out, gently plucking the towel away from her body. Her skin was cold to the touch, as was all of his save for the arm which had been submerged in the bathwater. He set the towel aside and pulled Kaylee closer, guiding her toward the tub. His hands settled over her shoulders as she climbed in and reclined against the back of the tub, settling herself comfortably beneath a blanket of warm water and bubbles.

Reaching over, Simon turned off the tap. He trailed his hand through the water until it came to rest at Kaylee's collarbone, his fingertips teasing there softly. He felt her shiver at that and it brought a soft smile to his lips. Kaylee relaxed, sinking into the water up to her neck, loving how the warmth enveloped her. She met Simon's gaze and reached a hand out of the water to him, dabbing a small amount of the foam from the bath onto the tip of his nose and giggling.

Simon chuckled lightly, a rich sound that made Kaylee relax even further, if possible, and wiped the bubbles away. He reached for a loofah which hung on a small hook above the bathtub and dipped it into the water. He slipped it up to Kaylee's ribs, brushing it gently over the submerged skin, brushing away the chill which was clinging to her skin. From there he continued upward, delicately washing her breasts, her chest and collarbone.

He worked slowly, carefully, making sure that every inch of Kaylee's body was cleaned. Looking up at her face he noticed her eyes were closed and a small smile played about her lips. Finishing up washing Kaylee's neck, Simon wrung out the loofah, hanging it back up on the wall and simply looking at Kaylee for a long moment. After not feeling Simon's touch for a minute, Kaylee opened her eyes and blushed from the intensity of his gaze. She felt much better than she had before she'd gotten into the bath and she had him to thank for it.

"Mmm, that was nice, Simon," Kaylee said softly. "Real nice."

"Well I'm glad," he replied warmly. "Now why don't you just stay and soak for a while longer while I get changed? After that we can go down to the kitchen for tea."

Kaylee simply nodded and went back to letting the water warm her as Simon stood and made his way into the bedroom. He took his time, wanting Kaylee to have maximum benefits from her luxurious soak. Stripping, Simon tossed his wet clothes into the hamper alongside Kaylee's and quickly changed into a warm pair of trousers and a flattering black sweater.

When he'd finished he found a few things for Kaylee, things he knew she loved for their comfort and warmth, and headed into the bathroom once again. Setting them down he picked up the towel Kaylee had come into the bathroom in and held it up, looking down at her. She turned her gaze to him and smiled softly, sitting up out of the water, bubbles clinging to her skin. Reaching into the depths of the tub, Kaylee pulled the plug and watched as the water began to drain quickly. She stood and stepped out of the tub, onto the rug on the floor and right into Simon's arms. He wrapped the towel he held around her. When she gripped it he ran his hands over her body, drying her gently.

Feeling the last droplets of water dry off of her skin, Kaylee turned to face Simon and handed him her towel. He folded it, trying not to watch her as she dressed, knowing that if he did he would be powerless to stop himself from taking her right then and there. Once he'd folded the towel he draped it over the towel rack and turned back to Kaylee, who by then had managed to get dressed. He smiled softly and held out his hand to her, waiting for her to accept it before heading out of the bathroom.

Together they left the bedroom, heading down the hallway. Looking out the window at the end of the hall near the staircase, Kaylee noticed that it had stopped raining. She chuckled softly and headed down the stairs with Simon, hearing snippets of conversation from where the crew were all gathered in the den, spending the day indoors on account of the inclement weather. The two of them reached the bottom of the stairs and made their way to the kitchen, finding themselves in the company of a few fellow crewmates, as well as Kaylee's mother. Simon paused to greet each of the crew members present, feeling a blush rise in his cheeks when he came face to face with Inara. She simply smiled demurely.

"Hello Simon," she said softly.

"Inara," Simon replied, bowing his head and averting his gaze.

"Please, you needn't be embarrassed," Inara said lightly. "I'm sorry about this morning, I didn't mean to intrude."

"No harm done," Simon said quietly.

With that Inara nodded and turned back to where she was helping prepare supper. Simon turned to Kaylee and she smiled softly up at him, reaching out to pick up a mug of tea and hand it to him before picking up her own. He sipped it gingerly, feeling it burn his lip the slightest bit, glad for its warmth. He needed it after the chill of the rain.

The two of them spent the remainder of the afternoon in the kitchen with the other ladies, talking and laughing, helping with supper. It was a pleasant scene with a very familial feel to it. It was something Simon realized he'd never experienced before. He loved it, and he had Kaylee to thank for it. She'd changed his life, changed him so much, helped him find a place in the black. He owed so much to her and he only hoped that his love was to express his gratitude.

He had the rest of their trip to show her just how thankful he was, just how much she meant to him. By the end of it all, if things turned out in his favor, he would have the rest of his life to show her those things and more.

* * *

**  
Translations**

_Xiexie_: Thank you  
_Meimei_: Little sister  
_Baobei_: Sweetheart

* * *

_  
A.N.: Tell me what you think! _


	4. Hodgeberries

_Disclaimer: Firefly and all related elements belong to Joss Whedon._

_On a trip planetside on Kaylee's home world of Harvest, she shows Simon that there's more to life outside Serenity's walls than he ever could have thought. Simon/Kaylee established relationship fluff set post BDM. Expected as being 13 chapters long. Translations at the bottom of the page!_

* * *

**  
Chapter 4: Hodgeberries**

Kaylee smiled brightly as she bustled around the kitchen with her mom, the two of them making sandwiches and a few other things for the picnic Kaylee had planned to take Simon on. She'd had to force her brothers and Jayne to take the boy out back for some manly bonding so she could prepare uninterrupted for the surprise. The last thing she wanted was to ruin it before it was time to head out.

Looking over at her mother, Kaylee realized just how much she'd missed home. She loved Serenity, even more so now that she had Simon, but at the same time it didn't always have that perfect, familiar, familial feeling to it. It was home, but not in the strictest sense. Not in the sense she'd grown up knowing. To Simon, however, she knew it was more home than any place he'd ever known. For River, too, it was like that. Knowing their feelings helped her own sense of being at home.

Snapping out of her reverie, Kaylee glanced over at the sound of her mother's voice.

"Now you prob'ly know we've already heard Simon's side o' the story," Delia said softly. "But I wanna hear yours, Kaylee girl. You seem like ya love 'im plenty and he seems like he loves ya even more."

"Oh ma, I do love 'im, he's the best man I ever met," Kaylee said dreamily. "And he's sweet, an' gentle, an' it seems like he knows me more'n I know myself sometimes. Not ta mention he's a doctor so he knows just where and how ta touch me…"

"That's my girl," Delia said with a chuckle. "As long as you're happy, that's good enough for me. Your pa, on the other hand… Well don't worry about him, I'll make sure he doesn't give ya a hard time."

"Oh, wouldja?" Kaylee asked hopefully. "Simon's kinda easily embarrassed an' I don't want daddy scarin' him off. He was nervous enough ta be meetin' you an' daddy in the first place."

"If he really loves ya like ya say he does, then even your pa won't scare 'im off," Delia said warmly.

"You're prob'ly right," Kaylee said with a small smile. "You always know how ta make things better."

"Well o'course I do! I'm your ma, after all, it's my duty!" Delia said brightly. "Now come on, snap outta that rut o' yours and let's finish makin' lunch so's you and that man o' yours can get away from us all for the afternoon."

Kaylee laughed lightly and playfully tossed a piece of lettuce at her mom, both women feeling much lighter after the exchange. They continued working in the kitchen for a while longer, readying a nice picnic lunch for the couple.

* * *

Simon looked back and forth between James and Jared, unsure of what to do. On top of everything, Jayne was standing in front of him, one of the biggest guns Simon had ever seen held up in a perfect shooting stance. The young doctor jumped as the mercenary fired yet another shot toward the target across the expanse of the shooting range set up before them, much to the amusement of Kaylee's twin brothers. 

He wished that Kaylee would have trusted him when he'd said he would stay in the bedroom while she prepared whatever it was she was planning on preparing. At least then he wouldn't have felt so completely out of place. He felt trapped, cornered and compelled to run for his life. He had never been too good with guns and he didn't plan on getting any better any time soon, at least not if he had anything to say in the matter.

Simon was startled out of his reverie by a deep, loud voice at his side.

"Your turn, doc!" James said with a grin. "Let's see whatcha got, pretty boy."

Stepping back and holding his hands up in a gesture of surrender, Simon shook his head.

"No, let's not," he replied. "I'm supposed to extract bullets from inside people, not put them there. It's not right."

"Screw what's right, doc, ya gotta loosen up," Jayne barked.

"So I can be just like you? I think not," Simon said coolly.

"What's wrong with bein' like me?" Jayne asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I think the answer to what's _not_ wrong with being like you would be a much simpler one to give," Simon muttered.

Jayne stepped up to Simon, reaching out and shoving the gun he held at the young doctor. Simon grasped it in self defense and was left with nothing to do but hold the damn thing when Jayne relinquished his grip on the barrel. He sighed and held the gun gingerly, afraid it would go off at any second. He met the mercenary's glare and swallowed thickly. He could either drop the gun and run or he could shoot. Deciding that between Jayne, Jared and James he'd be caught within seconds of taking off, Simon opted for the latter.

Sighing deeply, Simon stepped up to the fence and held up the shotgun, aiming at the target and closing his eyes, praying for the best.

At just that moment, Kaylee marched out of the house and toward the shooting range, picnic basket in hand and a blanket draped over her arm. At the sight of Simon being armed and flanked by her brothers and Jayne, her eyes widened and she gasped, rushing forward. She jumped as the crack of a gunshot being fired rang through the air and Simon stumbled back from the recoil. She finally came within shouting distance of the firing range and called out to the men.

"You three!" She cried. "Are a bad influence! Makin' a boy as innocent as him play your games. You should be ashamed of yourselves! Simon's got better things ta be doin' than playin' rough with you three."

Simon nearly took a running start at Kaylee to hug her when he heard her voice and spun around to face her as she approached. He quickly shoved the shotgun he held into Jared's arms and marched forward, gently wrapping his arms around her. He could see that she wasn't at all pleased with the situation they'd put him in but he didn't want her getting her feathers ruffled. Pulling away just a little, he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, hoping to quiet her. Well, it was easier said than done. Kaylee looked at him, smiled briefly and pulled away, advancing on the other men.

"I don't want ya corruptin' my man," she growled. "You three can bond manly like all ya want but you stay away from my Simon. _Wo de ma_ I can't leave you alone for two minutes! When I asked ya to keep him busy for a while I meant take him out ta the creek or somethin', I didn't mean for ya to try and turn him into one of your cronies!"

All four men were stunned by her outburst. Kaylee, however, having gotten the anger out of her system, managed to smile sweetly all around at them. Stepping back she reached for Simon, threading her free arm through his and tugging him along toward the far end of the field with her, leaving the other three men standing there, watching her with wide eyes and slack jaws.

As they walked, Simon pulled Kaylee closer, pressing her up against his side and reaching around her to take the picnic basket from her. He had no idea where they were headed, but he was sure they would have fun. Kaylee's spirit of fun and adventure dictated their days and that always had promising results. Smiling softly, a delicate blush on his cheeks, Simon looked over at her as they continued onto a path in the woods at the end of the field.

"You didn't have to do that," he said softly. "Stand up for me, I mean."

"I know, honey," Kaylee replied. "I just didn't wanna have ta stand around and watch ya do it yourself. It woulda taken ya twice as long and we got places to go! We can't be wastin' time on the little things."

She was joking of course, but Simon couldn't shake the feeling that her words were brutally honest, even if that hadn't been her intention. He tried to repress the feeling as they continued on toward Kaylee's picnic area. As he looked around at the vegetation growing wild along the sides of the path, Simon noticed something familiar. With a soft smile he stopped, pulling Kaylee to the side of the road, setting down the picnic basket and bending down, plucking one of the ripe, juicy berries off of the bush. He stood once again and turned to Kaylee, holding it up to her lips, touching the cool skin of the fruit to them, teasing her into taking the berry from his fingers.

"Hodgeberries," he said fondly. "I haven't had these in so long."

Kaylee smiled as she finished chewing the berry, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to Simon's lips. Pulling back she gestured to the bush.

"Well why don't we stop and pick some? I got a spare dish in that basket we can put 'em in," Kaylee said brightly. "We can have 'em with the rest of our dessert."

Nodding, Simon knelt by the side of the path and opened the picnic basket, finding a bowl right at the top. Pulling it out he set it down and began picking some of the hodgeberries, noticing some interesting looking leaves and grasses below the hodgeberry bushes.

The bowl filled up quickly enough and Simon packed it away again, putting it inside the picnic basket and picking it up as he stood. Kaylee watched him and smiled softly, looping her arm through his as they continued on down the path. They both took in the scenery as they walked, Simon absent mindedly rubbing his palms together, feeling a belated tickle there from brushing the flora away from around the hodgeberry bushes to get to the fruit.

A moment later, Simon was snapped out of his reverie as Kaylee made an abrupt stop. He looked ahead and noticed a small clearing bedded with lush grass and surrounded by thick trees. A space in the canopy allowed sunlight to be cast onto the ground, making it the perfect little spot. He glanced over at Kaylee as she smiled and slipped away from him, taking the blanket from over her arm and draping it onto the grass beneath them. She kicked off her sandals and sat down, gesturing for Simon to join her.

"Come on, Simon!" She said warmly. "Pull up some blanket!"

He smiled in return and nodded, setting the picnic basket down in the middle of the blanket as he kicked off his shoes, joining Kaylee there on the ground. He sat back comfortably and regarded the picnic basket in front of them, glancing over to Kaylee.

"So what, may I ask, is in there that took you the better part of the day to prepare?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Well, why don'tcha open the basket an' see?" Kaylee suggested.

His curiosity getting the better of him, Simon leaned forward and pulled the basket closer. Opening one of the sides he reached in and picked up the bowl of hodgeberries, setting those aside first. After that he pulled out the rest of their picnic, sandwiches, a thermos of soup, slices of pie with whipped cream for dessert as well as a number of other things. He smiled and looked up at Kaylee, reaching out to motion her closer. Returning his smile Kaylee crawled closer and settled herself in his lap, leaning back against his chest happily.

Paying no attention to the fact that his palms itched, Simon wrapped his arms around Kaylee and gently massaged her sides through the fabric of her shirt. She was warm and soft under his touch. He stroked delicately like that for a spell before the temptation of feeling her flesh against his palms became too much and he slipped his hands under her top, rubbing over her ribcage. His hands reached her breasts and he realized with a gasp that she wasn't wearing a bra beneath her light shirt. Leaning over her shoulder, his chin resting there, he watched as she perked up under his touch.

Smiling, Simon gently rubbed Kaylee's breasts, teasing her. He watched her as her head dropped back against his shoulder and her eyes closed. Her jaw was just barely slack and soft, contented gasps emanated from her parted lips. God, he loved touching her, just like he knew she loved being touched like that by him. He nuzzled into her neck as he continued to massage her with exquisite thoroughness, making her shiver from the sensations.

Deciding that if he let what he was doing go much further neither of them would have enough self control to say no, Simon stopped what he was doing, slipping his hands out from under Kaylee's shirt. She groaned her dissent and opened her eyes, looking at him as he smiled that sweet, sorrowful smile at her. She knew he was only doing what was in the best interests of their relationship and so she let him stop his touching. Once they'd gotten past the beginning stages they were in, Kaylee knew there would be plenty of touching and she held out for that day. In the meantime, she'd make do with what she got.

Smiling she reached for a few of the sandwiches in the picnic basket, setting them on a plate and unwrapping one. Holding it up over her shoulder she giggled as Simon nibbled the bite from her fingers. He playfully licked at her fingertips for a moment, causing Kaylee to shiver from the delicious little sensations the ministration sent through her body.

Simon reached around Kaylee, tearing a small piece of the sandwich off of it and slowly bringing it up to her mouth, feeding it to her and letting his hand slip up to her cheek as she ate it with a smile. He caressed the skin there softly, leaning in to kiss her gently, missing her lips and causing her to giggle as he kissed just the corner of her mouth.

They sat like that for an hour, laughing, talking and kissing over lunch, both glad to be away from the chaos around the house for a while. It was nice being alone without a crew to argue with, without family to be bothered by, without the constant background noise. Silence was what they needed, a soundless time to get to know each other.

With lunch finished, hodgeberries inclusive, the dishes were put away and Simon sat, wrapped in an embrace, completely content. They reluctantly separated and stood, finding their previously discarded shoes and slipping into them. Kaylee draped the folded blanket over her arm once more, threading her free arm with Simon's as he picked up the picnic basket.

The two of them took their time as they headed along the path back toward home. They both wanted to stay there, stay longer, but the mosquitoes were getting to be a nuisance. The last thing they needed was to itch for the rest of the week. As they walked, Kaylee reached up with the arm she'd draped the blanket over, plucking absent mindedly at her shirt, not liking the way the fabric tickled her skin, making it itchy. As she did so, Simon rubbed his palms together, furrowing his brows. He shrugged the feeling off, trying to ignore it though it only seemed to get worse.

By the time they reached the house, Simon noticed that his hands were covered in a splotchy pink rash. The itch by then was impossible to ignore, and he continued rubbing his hands over his pants. Kaylee was, at that point, furiously scratching at her chest, her breasts itching akin to Simon's hands. They left the blanket and the basket in the kitchen, both hurrying to the bedroom. Once there, Simon rushed into the bathroom, swiftly going to the sink, trying to wash away the itch but to no avail. Grabbing a towel he rubbed furiously at the rash, completely unable to guess what was going on. He'd never seen anything like it. He walked into the bedroom where Kaylee sat on the bed, now shirtless, rubbing at her breasts equally fervently. She looked up at Simon helplessly as he hurried over, sitting next to her and stilling his hands so he could concentrate on her.

Simon leaned in, examining the rash covering Kaylee's breasts and abdomen in the dim lighting of the room. There wasn't anything he could ascertain from it and it frustrated him. He was supposed to be a brilliant physician and he couldn't even diagnose a rash. Maybe people were giving him too much credit. Looking up at her he met her worried gaze.

"You gave me somethin'," Kaylee deadpanned. "What is it!"

Simon opened and closed his mouth, completely baffled.

"I don't know," he replied. "Kaylee, I am so incredibly sorry, _baobei_."

"Can ya do anything!" She cried.

"I'm afraid to give you anything until I know what this is," Simon said apologetically. "I need to find an encyclopedia."

Kaylee shook her head.

"When I was a little girl Jared an' James always got this when they went out in the bush ta play," she said lightly. "Ma'd always give 'em baking soda an' water ta put on it ta make the itch go away. She prob'ly knows what it is, ask her first. I don't remember what it's called."

Simon nodded.

"You stay here, try washing it off before you scratch anymore so you don't get an infection," Simon instructed. "I'll be right back."

Leaving the bedroom, Simon walked swiftly downstairs, searching the house for Delia. Not finding her inside he rushed out to the back yard, finding her in the vegetable garden tending to the plants. He headed over and stepped up behind her, his hands held up in a gesture of surrender. He stared at her helplessly until she turned to him and met his gaze.

"What can I do ya for?" She asked.

"Kaylee said you might know what caused this," Simon said, indicating his itching palms.

Delia took one look and chuckled softly.

"You been out in the bush lately, son?" She asked. "It looks like you've got the ivy."

"Ivy?" Simon asked. "As in _poison_ ivy!"

"One and the same," Delia replied. "I can make ya up some soda water for that."

Simon shook his head.

"No, thank you," he said wryly. "I've got something that'll take care of it back on the ship."

With that he turned and ran off toward Serenity across the field. The cargo bay doors were open and the crew milled about. A few heads turned to watch as he dashed up the stairs and headed for the infirmary. Shrugging it off, the crew went back to their duties while Simon searched frantically for a few vials of hydrocortisone serum and a tube of a cream with a similar component. Finally finding them he almost cheered for joy as he headed back outside and toward the house with the vials in hand.

As he made it up the stairs and reached the bedroom door, Simon discovered Kaylee lying back on the bed, her shirt abandoned at her side and her hands kneading at her breasts. Her eyes shone with tears, which Simon noticed as he shut the door and approached her. Setting everything he'd brought up down on the bedside table, Simon sat at her side and reached out, grasping her hands to keep her from scratching anymore at the rash.

"You're only going to make it worse like that, _baobei_," Simon said softly. "Why don't you turn over? I brought something to help with the itching."

Kaylee looked up at him quizzically and Simon chuckled, reaching out to pick up one of the vials of cortisone and a syringe to show her.

"It's a shot that is most effective given in a large muscle group," Simon replied. "And the gluteal muscles are the largest muscle group in the body. Go on, turn over. I promise it won't hurt a bit."

The young mechanic groaned. She hated shots, but at that moment she hated how much her breasts itched even more. They itched so much it was starting to get painful. She nodded lightly and obliged Simon, turning over to lie on her stomach, her arms above her head, gripping the covers to keep her from tearing at her inflamed skin in frustration. It was just her luck, or Simon's luck really, that she had to come down with ivy just when they were in the middle of their shore leave.

Simon watched Kaylee, wondering just who he'd annoyed in a past life to have the kind of luck he did in his present existence. He felt almost sickeningly guilty at the fact that he'd been the one to give Kaylee the rash. Of course he couldn't have known, but being as haunted as he was by all the times he'd said and done wrong, he couldn't help feeling that guilt. He sighed softly and quickly prepared a syringe full of the hydrocortisone for Kaylee.

Sitting on the bed next to her he reached for an alcohol soaked swab and lightly tugged her bottoms down to expose an area of skin for the injection. He swabbed the area off and swiftly jabbed the needle into her skin, injecting the medication and removing the needle. He set it aside to dispose of later and tugged Kaylee's pajama top back up, retrieving the shirt he'd noticed that she'd tossed aside. As she slowly turned over and sat up, still pawing at her breasts, she took the shirt from Simon and slipped into it once more.

"That should help within a few minutes," Simon explained.

"_Xiexie_, Simon," Kaylee replied. "Are you gonna take a shot o' that stuff?"

Simon shook his head.

"I can't do it myself," he said lightly. "What I mean to say is that I can reach, but I'd rather not do it myself because at such an awkward angle the chances of the needle breaking off of the syringe and becoming embedded in my skin are too high. I'd rather itch for a few days than have to have Zoe or anyone else skilled enough in medical procedures have to cut into my backside and remove the needle."

"Ah," Kaylee said with a giggle. "Well ya can ask my ma if she'll do it for ya. When we was little and we got sick she used to have ta give us all penicillin shots so she knows what ta do."

Well, Simon managed to look absolutely mortified at the mere thought. He quickly shook his head.

"No, its fine," he denied. "I'll make do with the cream I have here instead. I gave the rash to you, I'll suffer for it."

Kaylee pursed her lips at his words but didn't argue. She figured he didn't actually mean what he'd said about suffering. It was his choice, anyway. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his lightly for a moment before pulling back again. She watched as he uncapped the small tube of hydrocortisone cream he'd brought back as well. She wrinkled her nose a little at the smell but figured it didn't matter as long as it helped. Once Simon finished applying a layer of the cream, he recapped the tube and set it aside in one of the bedside table drawers. Turning to Kaylee with a wry smile he moved closer, leaning in to nuzzle gently at her neck.

"I keep finding new ways to ruin things, don't I?" Simon asked. "If it's not my mouth getting away with me, it's my hands, or –"

Kaylee cut him off, placing a finger against his lips and leaning in to press a soft kiss to them before speaking.

"Who said ya ruined anything?" Kaylee said with a playful pouty look. "We can still have fun!"

"How?" Simon asked.

"There's plenty we can do without ya needin' to use your hands," Kaylee replied.

"Like what?" Simon inquired doubtfully.

Kaylee paused a moment to think. Simon watched as a smile quickly crept back onto her lips and she reached out to take him by the wrist, standing and pulling him up along with her. She led him out of the bedroom and into the bathroom, pointing at the large, comfortable and utterly relaxing looking claw foot bathtub standing there. He looked at it and then at Kaylee quizzically. She only giggled and reached for the buttons on his shirt, slowly starting to undo them.

"This time I'm takin' care of you," Kaylee said coyly. "You're gonna get in the bath and soak while I rub your shoulders and make ya forget all about the ivy."

Simon looked at her somewhat unsurely for a moment but did nothing to stop her as she unbuttoned the last button of his shirt, slipping it off his shoulders and letting it fall to the floor. As much as he was used to caring for Kaylee, to being in control, to touching as opposed to being touched, he relinquished that and gave in to Kaylee's ministrations, simply watching as she unbuckled his pants and watched them flutter down to around his ankles.

Before Simon could say another word, Kaylee had managed to completely divest him. He watched her as she kicked his clothes aside and leaned in over the bathtub, pouring in some of her strawberry scented bath gel and turning on the water, stirring it as the level rose and bubbles formed on the surface. When she stepped back a moment later and gestured Simon toward the tub, he obeyed readily and climbed into the pleasantly hot water, inhaling the scent of the strawberries as he leaned back and relaxed against the tub, the water level rising up to his chest.

"How's that, honey?" Kaylee asked brightly.

"Mmm, wonderful," Simon replied. "Thank you."

Stepping closer to the tub, Kaylee settled herself at Simon's side, kneeling comfortably. She was glad to see that her itching had pretty well abated. She smiled softly at the thought that if she didn't have to focus on the itching, she'd be able to focus better on getting Simon to relax. It was her turn to take care of him for once, rather than letting him take care of her. It was going to be fun.

Reaching out, Kaylee picked up the loofah she'd tossed into the tub and let some of the water drain out of it. She gently rubbed it over Simon's neck and shoulders, coaxing him to tip his head back so that she could reach more. She loved being able to relax him, to take away some of the stresses of life. She knew that he carried a bigger burden than most people and it made her feel capable, powerful to be able to take that away, even if it was for just a little while. Seeing and feeling his body relax made it all worthwhile.

Continuing on gently washing away the stresses of life for him, Kaylee decided she didn't want to do much of anything else that day. The excitement of the morning had been quite enough for her and she was sure Simon felt the same way. With that thought in mind, Kaylee set the loofah aside and suggested the two of them curl up in bed without a worry or a care.

Tomorrow would be another day.

* * *

**  
Translations**

_Wo de ma_: Mother of God

_Baobei_: Precious

_Xiexie_: Thank you

* * *

_  
A.N.: Tell me what you think! More to come soon!_


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